Former WV Pound Director Arrested

A year long police investigation of Carrie Lynn Carr, who ran the Fayette Co pound in WV for several years for the New River HS before retiring last month, has resulted in criminal charges. Among the allegations against Carr:

Severely injured/ill animals, including a dog with her uterus falling out, were hidden in back room cages out of public view until they died instead of receiving veterinary care.

Animals were crammed into tiny crates and cages and forced to live there for extended periods of time. Large animals were unable to turn around or even lie down in their enclosures.

Food was tossed onto cage floors, filthy with feces and urine.

Individual water bowls were not provided but rather a single bucket of water was available in the facility for animals to drink.

A female coonhound was starved at the pound for 8 months. She developed open sores on her hips which were never treated.

Carr submitted payroll records showing she worked 35 hours a week when in fact she never dragged herself in much before 3 pm and left promptly at the 5:30 pm closing time.

When minimum wage workers at the pound (which Carr was not) were authorized to receive a 75 cent per hour raise in January 2015 in order to bring them up to the state mandated minimum, she gave herself the same raise.

How lazy and ridiculous were the people at this place? Here:

The criminal complaint continues to say a “heating crisis” at the animal shelter in the winter of 2014-2015, caused the New River Humane Society to urgently ask the public to donate blankets and portable heaters. The complaint alleges Carr and other employees of the shelter didn’t check the level of propane in their tank and failed to order additional propane to be delivered.

There was reportedly nothing wrong with the heating system- Carr and the other employees simply allowed the propane to run out.

I don’t… I can’t… I just –

Obviously this kind of neglect and abuse does not happen in a vacuum. There were enablers, notably the New River HS board, which included Carr’s mother and brother. But it’s all good and sparkly now:

Newly-elected members of the Board of Directors for the New River Humane Society have pledged to take a more ‘hands-on’ approach in overseeing the operations of the Fayette County Animal Control Center.

Gosh, so bold.

They point out that Carr was not working for the New River Humane Society and the Fayette County Animal Control Center when she was arrested.

Remember when President Carter got the American hostages released but Iran agreed to hold them until after Reagan was sworn in?

They say Carr’s actions were not instructed by the NRHS Board of Directors nor were the Board of Directors aware of these actions.

Not instructed? So the board actually didn’t type up a memo telling Carr that when mangled cats or dogs with their guts falling out get impounded, it was protocol to hide them in the dungeon until they eventually suffered to death. Got it.

As far as the board not being aware, that is not an excuse – it’s the problem.

Wender, too, became more involved in the shelter, stopping by unannounced over the last year. He said he never saw animals abused. Volunteers and employees had already cleaned cages or were in the process of cleaning them.
Often when he stopped by, volunteers were walking dogs, he said.
“I believe that those now left in charge of the shelter do a good job. Those on the board now are without blame.

Sounds so nice. Any of the dogs being walked have their guts dragging behind them? Just wondering.

Carr has been charged with a felony count of obtaining money under false pretenses, three counts of falsifying accounts and three misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals. She’s out on a $20,0000 bond.

11 Comments

julie delorenzo

The county also allowed their ACO to do this back in 2014. The sheriff and county commission should be held responsible for their ACO and Animal Shelter director, but they dont give a shit till it is in the news!
WARNING- Graphic details about how Fayette County, WV ACO, Russell Parker, inhumanely killed a dog and is still employed by the county. The Shelter does NOT condone this barbaric murder of a dog, this was the decision of Russell Parker, nobody else. He took it upon himself to execute a dog instead of waiting for a vet to euthanize. If you have any information of inhumane treatment of animals by Russell Parker, please come forward. We need to remove him from his position of ACO. PLEASE SHARE!

Fayette County Animal Control Center
April 18, 2014 ·
In response to allegations of wrong-doing by Russell Parker, FCACO, and in response to the press release by Sheriff Steve Kessler & Fayette County Prosecuting Attorney Carl Harris:

On March 11, 2014, a 13 year old boy was bitten by a dog. Contrary to the previous press release, the dog weighed about 75 lbs. and was friendly with staff. Mr. Parker captured the dog and brought it in to the Fayette County Animal Control Center (FCACC) at about 10:00 P.M. It is unknown what conversation the dog’s owner may have had with Mr. Parker. Mr. Parker carries paperwork to sign dogs over to the FCACC, but paperwork signed by owner was not obtained or provided. The Fayette County Health Department informed Carrie Carr, director FCACC, that the dog had not been vaccinated for rabies. The health department spoke with Mrs. Carr at 9:45 A.M. Wednesday morning and it was mutually decided that the dog would need to be euthanized and the head removed for testing so that the boy wouldn’t have to undergo rabies vaccinations. The health department sent the owner to the animal hospital, where Mrs. Carr works, to sign the dog over and pay for euthanasia & head removal services. The owner went to the animal hospital at 10:30 A.M. on March 12. Mrs. Carr immediately called the FCACC to have the animal brought to the animal hospital, at which time she was informed that Mr. Parker had just shot and killed the dog. It is important to note that Mr. Parker made no attempt to contact Mrs. Carr or the FCACC prior to killing the dog, and as such, no statement was made by Mrs. Carr that she would be unable to euthanize until late that afternoon.

When Mr. Parker brings an animal to the FCACC, FCACC assumes “the care, maintenance, control or destruction of dogs & cats” (WV Code 19-20-6a) by contract with Fayette County Commission. FCACC can only euthanize an animal in a bite case, after 10 days of quarantine, by court order or by owner relinquishing to FCACC. On March 12, without any of these and for the purpose of killing the animal, Mr. Parker entered the premises, removed the dog from a locked cage, placed a restraining pole with the choke cable tightened to the point the dog was gasping for air, and dragged it about 35 feet outside of the building. With assistance he demanded from an FCACC employee, who held dog by use of the restraining pole, Mr. Parker proceeded, with the employee about 4 feet away, to shoot the dog in the chest. Then, when the dog, who was in pain, grabbed the muzzle of the gun, Mr. Parker shot the dog in the mouth. He proceeded to shoot the dog 2 more times in the chest before the dog appeared to die. Mr. Parker retrieved a scalpel from his vehicle, then cut and ripped the dog’s head off. Mr. Parker put rabies testing of the dog and the child’s health at risk by shooting it in the mouth, and by improper removal of the head.

WV Code 19-20-8 (b) (1) The term “humanely destroyed” as used in this section means: (A) Humane euthanasia of an animal by hypodermic injection by a licensed veterinarian or by an animal euthanasia technician certified in accordance with the provisions of article ten-a, chapter thirty of this code: or (B) Any other humane euthanasia procedure approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Humane Society of the United States or the American Humane Association”

WV Code 19-20-8 (2) (c) In an emergency or in a situation in which a dog cannot be humanely destroyed in an expeditious manner, a dog may be destroyed by shooting if: (1) the shooting is performed by someone trained in the use of firearms with a weapon and ammunition of suitable caliber and other characteristics designed to produce instantaneous death by a single shot; and (2) Maximum precaution is taken to minimize the dog’s suffering and to protect other persons and animals.

FCACC/NRHS, Inc. agrees that the animal needed to be humanely euthanized in an expeditious manner for the health and safety of the child. However, shooting a dog 4 times is not humane, nor is it euthanasia, which means “good death.” This was not more expeditious than would have occurred if FCACC had been allowed to euthanize the dog and remove the head properly as planned. Mr. Parker demonstrated that he did not have sufficient knowledge of firearms to shoot and kill the dog. As per the previously mentioned statute, this was not an emergency, the dog could’ve been humanely destroyed, and he did not use a firearm or ammunition suitable to kill the animal with one shot. The press release by Sheriff Kessler and Prosecutor Harris states that “there was no evidence to suggest that Animal Control Officer Parker acted in a malicious manner or intended to cause pain and suffering for this animal.” The fact that Mr. Parker made no attempt to contact Mrs. Carr or FCACC, and that he used a gun and ammunition insufficient with one shot, puts this into question. It is ludicrous to suggest that a medical professional missing a vein is comparable to shooting a dog four times.

While no previous formal complaints have been made, numerous informal complaints regarding Mr. Parker’s actions towards animals have been made to FCACC, NRHS and other individuals. People are unwilling to file formal complaints because they are unwilling to have their names used.

We are concerned, and disturbed, by the fact that Mr. Parker shot within 35 feet of the building, within 4 feet of an employee, and within full view of employees working at the FCACC that day. We are also concerned that if he does this in front of witnesses, what does he do when there are no witnesses?

The FCACC has not been made aware of any policies regarding the animal control officer, or of any changes in these policies. Sheriff Kessler states that Mr. Parker would be fired if something like this occurs in the future. It should not require another animal to be inhumanely shot and killed for the Sheriff to take the action of terminating Mr. Parker’s employment. For the health and safety of the boy, the dog needed to be euthanized, but not by Mr. Parker, and not in such an inhumane manner.

D. Lake

Looks to me as if Carr (BIT**) was too busy not missing her meals to worry if the poor
animals were fed And had fresh water to drink.. Where and Why did the other employee’s not see this.
Maybe her guts will fall out. You NASTY SH** BAG.

Anne Thomas

That poor dog. Why didn’t Mr. Parker just quarrantine him for ten days to see if he broke with the virus? Then he could have been adopted out to someone who loved him and cared for him, unlike the horrible and heartless Ms. Carr.

Doris Mulleer

I can’t help but wonder about the hiring process that can hire such a POS, and then not oversee her abilities. I also have to question the ethics of any other employee who witnessed these horrors and did nothing. And why was a YEAR necessary to investigate this?

Sometimes I wish the law would subscribe to penalties that mirror the abuses to defenseless animals: It would be fitting if this creep were locked in a tiny crate with no bathroom privileges, and let her eat dry kibble, for a few days.

I don’t really wish her jail-time because she would have it too nice, courtesy of the tax payers. I can only hope she has the ability to *suffer* great embarrassment, and that she has to live in a homeless shelter.

Doris Muller

I can’t help but wonder about the hiring process that can hire such a POS, and then not oversee her abilities. I also have to question the ethics of any other employee who witnessed these horrors and did nothing. And why did it take a YEAR for this investigation?

Sometimes I wish the law would subscribe to penalties that mirror the abuses to defenseless animals: It would be fitting if this creep were locked in a tiny crate with no bathroom privileges, and let her eat dry kibble, for a few days.

I don’t really wish her jail-time because she would have it too nice, courtesy of the tax payers. I can only hope she has the ability to *suffer* great embarrassment, and that she has to live in a homeless shelter.

I hope she and all involved suffer from illness’ that cause great pain with no form of treatment on a daily basis for the rest of their natural lives. And yes, why a year to investigate!! Makes me sick!!